MLB notes: Cardinals sign Cuban free agent Aledmys Diaz

The St. Louis Cardinals signed Cuban free agent shortstop Aledmys Diaz to a major league contract and he'll report to spring training on Monday.

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Posted Mar. 9, 2014 at 4:45 PM

Posted Mar. 9, 2014 at 4:45 PM

JUPITER, FLA.

The St. Louis Cardinals signed Cuban free agent shortstop Aledmys Diaz to a major league contract and he’ll report to spring training on Monday.

The Cardinals were among a number of teams, including the Yankees, who held private workouts for the right-handed hitting Diaz and the deal is believed to be for $15-20 million for four years.

The team planned a news conference for Monday.

“We have been following Aledmys for quite some time,” general manager John Mozeliak said in a statement. “His signing marks a significant benchmark for the Cardinals in the international arena and we are excited to have reached this agreement.”

The deal came a day after St. Louis signed third baseman and leadoff man Matt Carpenter to a six-year, $52 million contract. During the offseason, the Cardinals committed $53 million over four years to sign free agent shortstop Jhonny Peralta, so they could face a position logjam in the near future.

The 23-year-old Diaz batted .315 with 12 home runs and 11 steals in 270 at-bats in 2012 for Los Naranjas de Villa Clara, Cuba’s highest professional league, which has produced Oakland’s Yoenis Cespedes, the Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig and Cincinnati’s Aroldis Chapman.

The Cardinals anticipate the 6-foot-1, 195-pound Diaz will start the year at the high minor league level.

EXHIBITIONS: Justin Ruggiano went 3 for 3 with a two-run homer and three RBIs, raising his spring training batting average to .583 as the Chicago Cubs outlasted a Milwaukee Brewers split squad 10-8.

Chicago prospect Kyle Hendricks allowed two runs in three innings while walking two and striking out four.

Josh Donaldson hit his first home run of the spring and the Oakland Athletics tied the White Sox 2-2 in a game stopped after nine innings. Dan Straily and three Oakland relievers held the White Sox to three hits.

Stephen Strasburg overcame a shaky first inning and the Washington Nationals’ offense came up big again in an 11-1 victory over the Cardinals. Allen Craig had two of St. Louis’ three hits, including an RBI single. Cardinals starter Joe Kelly gave up five runs and seven hits in 21/3 innings.

SHORT HOPS: Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu will be the Dodgers’ starting pitchers in their two-game season-opening series in Australia against Arizona. The games will be played March 22-23 at Sydney Cricket Ground. Kershaw will be making his fourth straight season-opening start for Los Angeles.